Towing device



,1. w. HINGLEY TOWING DEVICE March 4, 1947.. v

Filed sept. 12, 1944 2 :sheets-sheep 1A Patented Mar. 4, 1947 UNITED` STATES PATENT OFFICE TOWING DEVICE .lames Hingiey, Chesten'Pa.

Application September 12, 1944, Serial No. 553,724

3 Claims.

This `invention relates to a towing device. f= More particularly this invention relates to a device adapted to be removably attached to a motor vehicle chassis for the towing of a second motor vehicle.

The device according to this invention is of simple design and may be constructed at relativelysmall cost. At the same time, it will lend itself to the elicient towing of a motor vehicle without the necessity for providing anyone to steer the towed vehicle.

Generally speaking the device according to this invention will be constructed to be rigidly secured to the members of the frame of a motor vehicle and to be pivotally secured to a vehicle to be towed. The device will be so arranged as to support the front end of the towed vehicle as well as to act as a towing connectionand, at the same tint e, will control the towed vehicle to cause it to follow the towing vehicle.

Having now indicated, in a general way, the nature and purpose of this invention, I will proceed toa detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof with exemplication of 'its practical use, 4all with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partly in section, showing an embodiment of the device according to this invention in combination with the essential parts of two motor vehicles in towing relation.

Figure 2 is a view, partly in section, showing details of construction of the device shown in Figure 1 as applied to two vehicles in towing relation.

Figure 3 is a view showing details of construction of elements of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view of the subject of Figure 3 taken at right angles.

In the several gures, variously I, I indicates the side members of the frame of a motor vehicle A, as, for example, a motor truck, and 2, 2 indicate cross members of the frame of the vehicle. The frame, comprising the members I and 2, is a typical motor truck frame supported at the rear on springs 3, mounted on rear axle 4, carrying the usual wheels 5. The frame is mounted on front wheels, not shown, as is usual in motor vehicle construction.

I', I indicates the side members of the frame of a second motor vehicle B, which may be a motor truck to be towed, while 2', 2 indicate the cross members of the frame.

The frame comprising the members I' and 2 is mounted on front and rear wheels 6, l, respec- 2. tively mounted on a front yaxle `8 Aand a rear axle Q, as is usual in motor vehicle construction.

For securing-'the vehicles in towing relation, as they are shown in Figure l, the device according to this invention, as shown,comprises a clamp member comprising a pair of jaws I 0, I I, adapted to be engaged with the iront axle 8, of the vehicle B to be towed, and to be clamped thereto by means oi bolts I2, I2. It will 'be understood that the front axle 8 of the vehicle B may be of any form and that the jaws Ill and II will be formed `to conform thereto.

' stem and ball may. be -formed integral with the jaw or secured thereto in any convenient manner, as by welding, threading, for .the like.

A socket member or head I5, adapted .to 1re-- ceive the ball it, is provided with a pair of oppositely positioned tubular extensions I6, I6 rigidly connected thereto, which extend downwardly from the socket at an angle, and with a clevis member Il positioned rbetween the tubular extensions substantially 99? from each tubular eX- tension.` The socket member lI5 may be conveniently made in two parts and welded together on line x-x after assembly with the ball I4.

The tubular extensions It, I6 are internally threaded, as shown at I8, I6, Figure 2, for a dis'- tance from the bottom of the bores therein, the walls of the bores being smooth adjacent their open ends.

The tubular extensions I6, I6 from the socket member I5 are adapted to receive the ends of a pair of support members I9, I9, the ends of whichI are threaded for engagement with the threading I8, IB, into engagement with which the supports are guided by the smooth portions of the bores in the extensions.

The supports are provided with flanged feet 28, 20 adapted to engage with the side members I, I of the vehicle A, as shown in lFigure 2, and clamps 2|, 2l are provided to be secured tothe feet 2S, 20 by bolts 22, 22 to securely clamp the supports I9, I9 to the frame members of the vehicle A.

A third support 23 is arranged to be secured, by a, bolt 24 to the socket member or head I5 through the clevis Il extending therefrom. The

support 23 is provided with a foot 24 adapted to be bolted to a cross member 2 of the frame of vehicle A, as shown in Figure 1.

The supports 2B, 2U and 23, together with ther In use of the device according to this invention, the ball I4 and jaws I0, II having been as` sembled with the socket member I5 and the supports I9, I9 and 23 having been connected to the socket member, the supports I 9, I9 will be clamped to the side members of the frame of vehicle A at a convenient distance from the rear end thereof. The support 23 will then be bolted to a cross mem` ber of the frames. The support 23 may extend forwardly or rearwardly from the socket member I5, depending upon the location of a cross member 2 to which it may be conveniently bolted.

The device having been secured to the frameA of vehicle A, as described, the vehicle A will bei moved to the location of vehicle B to be towed.` The front end of vehicleB will then be lifted, by any suitable hoisting mechanism, brought over the rear end of the vehicle A and the jaws I0, I I clamped to its front axle. Y

The vehicle B may now be towed by the vehicle A and inv towing will follow the vehicle A.VY

As will lbe appreciated, the exact position in which the device is mounted on the'vehicle A, the lengthA of the supports, and the like, will not be important soV long as the supports are of such length and the device is so mounted that the front.

part of vehicle B,.when secured to the device, will clear the rear part of the vehicle A.

.The device according to this invention will be found topossess the great practical advantage of being capable lof production with minimum Weight and to be readily disassembled, the parts then lending themselves to convenient packaging for carrying to a place lof use, where the device is readily assembled and mounted on a towing ve-v hicle.

As will be appreciated, various modifications may be made in the device described above in de- Y securing said supports to the side members of the frame of a tow vehicle, a third support extending downwardly from said socket member and at an angle to the said rst support, means to secure said third support to a cross member of the frame of the tow vehicle intermediate of the side frame members: a ball member engaged with the socket member and means to secure a ball member'to the front axle of a vehicle to be towed. y

2. A towing device comprising, a socket member, a pair of 'supportsrigidly connected to said socket member and extending oppositely there- Number Y Name Y Date 1,324,934 Shand Dec. 16, 1919 2,152,279 Rendall et al Mar. 28, 1939` 1,662,923 Hume Mar.V 20, 1928 1,377,609

from downwardly at an angle, means for securing 3. A towing device comprisingY a tripod ar-l ranged to be mounted on a tow vehicle, means` carried by the head of the tripod arranged to be connected to the rfrontaxle of a vehicle to beI towed, twoof the legs .extending downwardly and f Vlaterally from the head, the other leg extending downwardly and outwardly from the head at substantially from the other legs, and means for securing the lower end of each leg to the tow vehicie. .l y

- f JAMEsW. HINGLEY.

REFERENCES CITED j The following references are of recordin the le of this patent: Y i

UNITED STATES PATENTS Townsend 2...-... May 10, 19,271 

